The Spiritual Side of Art: How Creativity Connects Us to Life’s Deeper Meaning

God spoke today in flowers, and I, who was waiting on words, almost missed the conversation.
— Ingrid Goff-Maidoff

This quote stopped me in my tracks a few days ago. I’d been scrolling through Pinterest when I came across this beautiful photo – a woman walking through misty light, with these incredible teal and turquoise tones glowing against warm fall foliage. Something about that contemplative walk in nature called to me immediately. I knew I had to capture that feeling in my sketchbook.

The best things in life are free – we hear this all the time. But there’s something deeper here that we often miss. The most beautiful, life-changing moments aren’t just free… they’re so woven into our everyday that we walk right past them. The view of mountains lit by purple sunset from my studio. That quiet moment when a color finally feels right on the page.

Even life itself – this incredible gift we wake up to each morning – can feel so ordinary that we forget to really see it.

I’ve found there are different ways to get closer to whatever sacred means to you. Some people find it through meditation or prayer. Others through writing in journals or practicing gratitude. For me, painting has become this unexpected pathway to something larger than myself.

When I painted this gouache study, I wanted to capture that beautiful misty glow – those soft teals and turquoise against the warm earth tones of autumn. The figure emerged naturally, walking through this pool of light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Sometimes I think art is just another form of prayer. A way of paying attention. A conversation with beauty that doesn’t need words.

The woman in this painting moves quietly through the light, and there’s something about her gentle movement that feels like she’s part of a larger conversation. Like she’s walking through a moment when the ordinary becomes luminous, when we remember that we’re part of something much bigger and more beautiful than we realized.

This is why I love working in my watercolor sketchbook – there’s something so freeing about these small studies. They let me capture fleeting moments of inspiration without the pressure of creating something “important.” Sometimes the most meaningful art comes from simply paying attention to what truly moves you.

What speaks to you when you stop waiting for words?

Art Supplies Used in this Painting: